T-RackS Tape Machine 440

A slice of music history

The allure of tape machines is easy to understand - that iconic sonic signature that’s been heard on countless classic albums. Warmth, subtle high-end sweetening, and above all the gentle saturation and compression that glue your tracks together - it’s all yours in the T-RackS Tape Machine 440.

The Tape Machine 440 is modeled on the iconic Ampex AG440B stereo recorder. The 440 series dates from the late 1960s and delivers an unmistakably soulful color that made this historic mixing and mastering machine a legend.

This machine became the standard for stereo mix-down since it offers a rounded, solid bass and a silky presence on highs and upper mids, leaving your mixes…finished! Pass your session through the 440, and hear your mix become a record!

Using a careful mix of convolution and physical modeling, the Tape Machine 440 re-creates the complex interplay of effects taking place in the analog audio tape recording process, down to the finest detail. From the sonic character of the tape formula, to the movement of the tape over the machine heads, every detail is captured with life-like accuracy. Add warmth and character, low-end weight, ear-pleasing high end and glue your tracks together with this true-to-life slice of recording history.

Comprehensive Controls

Tape Machine 440 features a set of controls to enhance the ease of use. Key features include:

• Signal path selection: With “Input,” the signal only passes through the input and output electronic stages of the recorders, bypassing the tape. Depending on how the recorder is designed, the “Input” path can sound extremely transparent or just slightly more colored. “Repro” passes your signal through the entire analog recording system: input-> recording amplifier -> recording head -> tape -> playback head -> playback preamplifier -> output stage.

• True Stereo: Even a perfectly aligned tape machine will have slight level, EQ and distortion differences between the left and right channels. This is good and part of the analog recording mojo! The T-RackS Tape Machine Collection perfectly recreates these subtle differences to deliver the real experience. If perfectly identical left and right channel processing is a must, simply disable this feature.

• Tape Speed: Select the speed of the tape transport between 15 and 30 inches per second (“ips”). The higher speed gives you more fidelity, and the lower speed delivers a warmer, rounder tone.

• Transport Modeling: Precisely models the behavior of the mechanical transport. Small irregularities in the movement of the tape creates various degrees of sonic alteration to the audio program, especially between the two channels. Keep it on for the magic to happen! In case a perfectly steady performance is needed, just disable the control.

• Record Bias: Ideal bias voltage settings provide maximum sensitivity and low distortion. Intentionally overbiasing is a common technique to produce a warmer, gently saturated sound. Underbiasing can be used to nicely boost the high frequencies in a truly unique way and add distortion and other nonlinear effects.

Features

• Works within the T-RackS CS Standalone application and as plug-in
• High-quality oversampling
• High-precision and high-transparency digital processors
• Accurately analog-modeled vintage classic devices
• Full-latency compensation support
• Supports sampling rates up to 192 kHz
• DSM™ and SCC™ proprietary IK technologies for extremely accurate digital models of analog hardware devices
• Native compatibility with 64-bit applications and operating systems